Apparatus for effecting chemical reactions



. 1,650,713 H.- HENNEBUTTE ET AL APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING CHEMICAL REACTIONS Nov. 29, 1927.

Filed y 21, 1923 3 Sheet -Sheet 1 l\HHHHHHHHIHHHIIHHIHHHHiI lHHHHHHHHIHHILUU HHHHHIIIVHIH IN VEN TOR.

Nov. 29, 1927. 1,650,713

H. HENNEBUTTE ET A}.

APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING CHEMICAL REACTIONS Filed May 21, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A rrmem: Y5

atented or. 29, 1927.

STATES APPARATUS FOR EFFEGTING CHEMICAL REACTIONS.

Application filed May 21, 1923, Serial No. 640,578, and in France June 7, 1922.

This invention relates to apparatus .for efl'ecting chemical reactions and more particularly to an apparatus which is adapted for carrying out dehydration, distillation, or generally speaking, any chemical reactions including;

1st.Either pyrogenctic decompositions, with or without the addition of reagents.

'2nd.Or oxidations, reductions, hydrogenations sulphurations, and .in a general manner any reaction requiring the use of various chemical agents. in such conditions that balancing eltects may be etfected by stages within required and definite limits of temperature.

3rd.Or these two kinds of operations which cantake place simultaneously or successively in the apparatus.

This apparatus essentially comprises 1st.A stirring device, substantially constituted by one or several endless screws, worms, or translating propellers operated or driven from the inside and located in,

metal troughs which are simple or twin; these screws are provided with special devices so as to turn over the material and to submit the different parts or members to the reagent and to the action of heat, and also to slow down the progress thereof for instance in bringing or carrying part of the matter backwards.

The screw may be provided for this purpose either with vanes or mould-boards extending from one coil to the other and showing the form of a curved surface so as to constitute a ladle or scoop capable of turning over the matter upon itself, or provided with ports or holes, the part of the metal stamped so as to provide these holes being turned up and curved so as to form a sort of ploughshare in order to constitute a sort of mouldboard adapted to turn over the matter submitted to the reaction, the latter being permitted to flow rearwardly through the orifice or hole provided in the screw.

The conveyor may, if desired, consist of a simple screw or propeller having a greater or smaller number of holesor divided if necessary into sections so as to form blades or paddles as in a ship propeller;

2nd.Lids which cover the metal troughs and fit snugly upon the latter, these lids -or covers being provided with large exhaust openings and being interiorly provlded with gutters receiving the partially condensed products so as to convey the same outside withdrawing them from the action of the walls in contact with the reacting materials without allowing them to fall back into the part where the reaction takes place. In

order to carry out the dehydration and the pyrogenetic decomposition, each trough constitutes a member of a furnace heated to a determined temperature. The material to be treated is placed within these members through which it passes from one to the other, the members being heated at different temperatures. The products which are evolved at the temperatures of the various members are drawn therefrom prior to the sulting products being always exhausted in the same conditions. I

The accompanying drawings show, by way of examples, several embodiments of the present invention wherein, the arrangement of the troughs as well as the pitch and the speed of the screws in every member can vary in. a very large proportion according to the nature of the bodies to be treated and the product which it is desired to obtain.

Figs. 1 and 2 show in side view and in end view respectively a form of construction of the screw or propeller provided with vanes or mould-boards.

Figs. 3 and 4 are a side elevation and end view respectively, illustrating a screw in whichthe coils or windings are provided with holes and in which the metal is so folded so as to form a mould-board.

Fig. 5 is an end view of a screw of which the coils are simply provided with holes in ya larger number than in the previous exam 1e.

ig. 6 is-an end-view of a modified form in which the helical surface is divided in sections and forms a screw or propeller with paddles or blades.

v clined furnace or oven for Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the arrangement of three of the closed troughs or members in series.

Fi 8 is a sectional view taken on the line X of Fig. 7. I

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section of the brickwork su port showing the arrangement of the partitions or walls acting as baflles.

Fig. 10 shows in cross-section the whole of a second arrangement com rising an inractional distillation, each part of which is heated to a different temperature, the higher temperature being that of the lowest members.

Fi ure 11 is a perspective view illustrating t e members constituting one stage of the apparatus shown in Fig. 10, Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 11, the covers for t e same being removed.

Figs. 13 and 14 are detail sectional views taken on the lines Y, Y and Z, Z respectively, of Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a section taken on the line Y Y of Fig. 13, illustrating the preferred form of cover em loyed.

Figs. 16 and 17 s ow in plan and in crosssection respectively the covers acting as a disiphragm.

igl. 18 is a cross-section on a larger scale of a istributor which is interposed between two screws with the purpose of insulating one or more members.

Figs. 19 and 20 show respectively a longitudinal elevation and a plan, the covers or lids being removed in the latter figure of another arrangement in which the members are disposed side by side, a distributor insuring the feeding of each member.

Fig. 21 is a sectional view somewhat enlar ed, taken on the line Z, Z of Fi. 19. igs

he screw or propeller, as shown in 1 and 2, is constituted, like endless screws or worms, by coils or windings forming an helical surface (1.

Between the coils are arranged the mouldboards b extending from one coil to the other.

These mould-boards or vanes must have, ,as it has been above s ecified, the form of a ladle or scoop in or er to turn over the matter and simultaneousl brin it partially backwards during t e revo ving motions.

The screw which is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is provided in the surface a forming the coil, with holes a, the metal removed with the purpose of forming these holes being folded so as to constitute small ploughshares or mould-boards d of a suitable shape to turn over the matter undergoing reaction.

Due to the differences in ressure between the front and rear faces 0 the helical surface a, a portion of the treated material will pass rearwardly through the openings or the ordinary speed of revolution of this km of screws or worms, the matter which is turned over and returned backwards rogresses but slowl and consequently is t oroughly submitte to the action of the heat.

The same result can be obtained by the use of an endless screw or worm provided with holes 0 of suitable sizes and proportions, Fig. 5, or in dividing the helical surface in two'sections or paddles 0 in the same manner as in a ship-propeller.

The apparatus represented in Figs. 7 and 8 is constituted by a sequence of simple metal troughs A, A A, the axes of which are sl ghtly inclined and which are covered with lids B B, B the screws revolving in the troughs are the same as those which have been described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, 3 and 4 or 5 or 6, driven by gearwheels e, chains or any other transmission means.

The lids or covers B are provided interiorly with an inwardl extending flange which is curved upwardly to form a gutter f for collecting the products of condensation evolved in the troughs A. An opening or port 9 is preferably provided at the lowest point of the gutters to serve as a drainage passageway for sai products. The bottom of each of the inclined troughs is provided adjacent the higher end thereof with an opening it which constitutes :1 connecting passageway to the lower part of the next adjacent trough. The covers of the troughs are provided with one or more openings 7' in communication with suitable pipes k which preferably lead to a condenser or collecting chamber.

The trough A is provided at its lower portion with an opening C for the exhaust of the carbonized matter which can be utilized if necessary as a fuel for heating the apparatus.

This member or trough A is heated by means of gas coming from a generator or from a furnace in which the circulation is insured b baflie-plates G as is clearly illustrated in ig. 9.

The ases passing under a flue D arrive under t e member A on their wa to the stack; the first member A is provi ed with an air-tight charging hopper E provided with a flap-door or other suitable shutting device.

The apparatus, as shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12, comprises twin metal .troughs m, n horizontally arranged at different heights, and separated by a iollow partition 0 of convenient form, Figs. 10 and 13, which partition 0 terminates at a short distancefrom either end of the troughs to form a passage 1). Each of these troughs contains a screw cut in Every member thus constituted is covered with a lid q showingin a cross-section the form which is represented in Fig. 13 and in the right-hand portion of Fig. 10, so as to constitute an inclined arch The lids q are provided with edges or peripheral gutters f, at the lower parts close to the joints, so as x to collect the condensed products.

In order to avoid a direct connection between the two contiguous troughs of the same member, there is arranged at the middle of the latter a sort of hood it provided with a diaphragm 'v.

The matter to be treated enters through the hood u in the middle of the troughs whence it is forced in both directions, as shown by the arrows F into the two symmetrical parts of the apparatus under the action of the first screw a, passes through the channel 72, is taken over by the second screw a which conveys it back in the direction indicated by the arrows F towards the middle of the member where itpasses through a central conduit 7 into the second juxtaposed member. In order to completely prevent the gases generated in one of the members from mixing with the gases of the members situatedimmediately above. there is arranged between two members an alveolary distributor or drum L, as shown in Figs. 10, 18, and 21. The matter to be treated progresses from the top to the bottom, as shown in Fig. 10. p

The gases due to distillation which are not condensed and collected by the gutters or grooves f are collected throughthe orifices j, as shown in Figs. 7 and 11, scattered in the high portion of the lid and connected through joints is with a pipe 25 leading to a condenser.

The apparatus of Fig. 10 is illustrated as a sort of but having the shape of a triangular hood under which arrive burning gases; the circulation of the said gases is insured by means of fines H and battle plates J suitably distributed so that the said circulation will take place upwardly, in order that the hottest gases may come into contact with lowermost troughs and the coldest ones with the uppermost troughs. This insures a rational heating and a mechanical exhaust; the gases then escaping through the orifice K whence they pass to-t-he stack.

These apparatuses are so arranged that each member or trough will be heated at a different temperature, the hi her temperature being that of the last mcmlger; the products submitted to the pyrogenetic decomposition move in a direction reverse to that of the gases which heat the apparatus and the generated gaseous products are directly exhausted thereby avoiding any contact with the heating walls by virtue of the arrangement of the covers or lids provided with gutters which prevent the condensed products from dropping back into the troughs The uncondensed distillation products of these members are exhausted, as already seen, through the holes provided at the upper part of the covers, while the condensed products are discharged through openings provided at the lowest points.

The third modified form shown in Figures 19, and 21 is constituted by a series of troughs A. the inclination of which varies. The progress of the material is always di rected upwardly by means of the screw 0 and the matter is discharged into the following trough through the medium of com partment lll provided at the ends of the apparatus and connecting the upper end of a trough with the lower end of the following one. these compartments forming passages in which revolve the alveolary distributors L. Said distributors are constituted by rotating tubes provided with radial blades. The material accumulate in the space between two adjacent blades and fills said space, and by the rotation of the. blades the material is delivered to the adjacent trough without allowing the gases to pass. The drawing shows only two troughs arranged side by side but the number of these troughs is not. limited and depends upon the number of stages which the materials under-treatment have to pass through.

These two troughs are covered by covers q forming an arch or vault and are provided at their lower part, in the vicinity of the joint. with gutters f with an outlet, at the lower point, for the condensed product; which have been collected by these gutters and at the higher points with a suitable number-ct outlets for the exhaust of the uncondensed gaseous products.

Every simple inclined member can be sep' arately covered by means of a lid 9 as specified with reference to the example shown in Figs. 7 and 8, or the covers or lids of two members arranged the one above the other can be grouped two by two, so as to form a single piece, the common partition to of which would be immersed in a gutter a: containing a. liquid so as to forma water-seal,

as shown in Figure 21.

The utilization of this apparatus is quite. similar to that of the previous ones. The material is introduced into the first member through the hopper E, progresses under the action ofthe screw (1, is discharged into the middle compartment M in passing through the distributor L. which conveys the same into the beginning of the second member in which it is collected by the screw, and so on. It is obvious that the different arrange ments have been here described but by way of example and that they may be altered as well as regards the arrangement of the troughs, of the lids or covers, of the openings for the condensed and gaseous products, as regards the provision of the circulation of gases under the troughs, without depart ing from the principle of the present inven- What we claim is:

1 Apparatuses for effecting chemical reactions comprising troughs inclined and arranged side by side. endless screws within the said troughs for propelling the matter to be treated. inclined lids closing the troughs, gutters extending around the periphery of the lids, chambers arranged between two successive troughs for connecting the said troughs, distributors arranged with in the chambers for guiding the matter from the preceding trough to the following one and to prevent the gases from passing from one trough to the following one.

2. An apparatus for ettecting chemical reactions comprising a plurality of inclined troughs arranged side by side, endless screws within said troughs for propelling the material to be treated therethrough, convex covers for said troughs, said covers being pro- Vided with inwardly extending peripheral gutters, a chamber between adjacent pairs of troughs, distributors within said chambers for forcing the said material from one trough to the next, and means. for heating each trough to a different temperature.

3. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of inclined troughs in communication one with the other, endless screws in each of said troughs for propelling the matter to be treated therethrough, convex covers for said troughs, said covers being provided with inwardly extending peripheral gutters and with discharge openings communicating with lowest portion of said gutters, distributors between each pair of troughs for forcing said material from one trough to the other and a water seal between said troughs and covers.

4. A device of the class described comprising a lurality of troughs in communication one with the other, endless screws in each of said troughs for propelling the matter to be treated therethrough, convex covers for said troughs, said covers being provided with inwardlyl extending peripheral gutters and with disc arge openings communicating with lowest portion of said gutters, and distributors between each pair of troughs for forcing said material from one trough to the other.

5. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of troughs in communication one with the other. endless screws in each of said troughs for propelling the matter to be treated therethrough, convex covers for said troughs, said covers being provided with inwardly extending peripheral gutters and with discharge openings communicating with lowest portion of said gutters, distributors between each pair of troughs for forcing said material from one trough to the other and sealing means between said troughs and covers.

6. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of troughs in communi cation one with the other, endless screws in each of said troughs for pro elling the matter to be treated therethroug convex covers for said troughs said covers being rovided with inwardly extending periphera gutters and with discharge openings communicating with lowest portion of said gutters, distributors between each pair of troughs for forcing said material from one trough to the other and a water seal between said troughs and covers.

7. A device of the class described comprising a plurality of inclined troughs in communication one with the other, endless screws in each of said troughs for propelling the matter to be treated therethrough, convex covers for said troughs said covers being provided with inwardly extending peripheral gutters and with discharge openings communicating with lowest portion of said gutters, and distributors between each pair of troughs for forcing said material from one trough to the other.

In testimony whereof we havesigned this specification.

HENRI HENNEBUTTE. EDOUARD GOUTAL. 

